OpenAI has unveiled a powerful new feature for ChatGPT that allows it to run third-party applications.
The new system works through simple chat commands. Instead of tapping an icon on a home screen, you activate an app by naming it in your conversation. For instance, typing “Canva, design a birthday party flyer for me” would trigger the Canva app. A small icon from the app appears to confirm it is active, and it then works to complete your request.
Privacy is handled through a permissions system. The first time you use a new app, ChatGPT will explicitly ask for your consent to connect, making you aware of what data you are sharing.
A handful of launch partners are available now, including Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow. This enables a range of tasks from designing graphics and booking trips to creating music playlists, all within the ChatGPT interface. OpenAI expects to get more apps on board later this year.
Unfortunately, this new feature still has geographic restriction. Users in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union will not have immediate access to these apps and must wait for a future rollout.
The early days of Apple and Google’s app stores were marked by a surge of low-quality and misleading apps. To address this, OpenAI confirmed it will create a dedicated app directory for browsing, confirming the move toward a full app store model with monetization.